A Strength or Weakness
by BlueInTheFace
Summary: THE LOST BOYS: Marko and Iris (self-made character) finally get some time to talk on the boardwalk one night about the relationship Iris had apparently overlooked...


"A Strength or Weakness"  
  
**I do not own "The Lost Boys," nor do I claim to-- I'm just playing in that wonderful world which I pine for. Go figure. Although, I did create a single character here, Iris, and it would be appreciated if you did not steal/misuse her in any way, because she is mine. Many thanks**  
  
~  
  
Type: Movie, "The Lost Boys"  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Characters: mostly Marko/Iris  
  
Written by: BlueInTheFace21  
  
POV: 3rd  
  
January 6, 2004  
  
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**A Strength or Weakness**  
  
"All this bleeding-business is making me thirsty," Iris said coolly, biting her lip, as she watched Star bandage Laddie's arm. It was a small accident that he fell, nothing serious, but the blood was driving Iris mad. It was almost admirable, what Star was doing. Not just bandaging the poor boy's wound, but refusing to allow herself to give her entirity completely over to the thirst; she never considered Star's choice seriously before. She was strong in a way, but Iris would rather not think about that.  
  
"Well, what would you like?" David's voice floated easily through the air to her ears, seductive in his offer; he already knew her answer. He was looking at her over his shoulder from the lower level of their fallen resort as he spoke, staring up into the shadows where she, Star, and Laddie all perched on a bed. Iris grinned in reply, anxious to get out for once. She preferred staying in, but always looked forward to the boardwalk and a decent drink.   
  
Hopping down to the bottom level and into David's arms, she felt a pang of urgency in her stomach. What would she do without that thirst?  
  
***  
  
As they trapsed through the boardwalk, David left the warmth of Iris' hand with the other boys to go harass some innocent bystanders down the strip. It took a moment, but she noticed Marko had not followed; he had stayed in step with her a few feet behind.   
  
"Staying with you tonight?" Marko asked sheepishly with a coy smile he knew she had always enjoyed. He was always polite with everyone, but especially careful with Iris.   
  
"Sure," she replied, tossing her hands up into a shrug with a grin of her own. "We don't get to talk much anymore, do we, darling?" He shook his head and stared down at his boots.  
  
"I never know the right time to say anything to you," he mumbled, sticking his hands in the pockets of his patchwork jacket. She skipped a step and looped her arm through his, resting her palm on his forearm, linking them together, which caught him off guard.  
  
"You have something you want to say to me?" Her voice was almost teasing as she playfully rested her head on his shoulder, but lifted it again when he didn't face her. Marko shook his head again, almost as if to shoo away her question. She loved that smile of his.  
  
"I miss having you around, Iris."  
  
"I'm always around," her eyebrows furrowed at what seemed nonsensical. She rarely went out, and when she did it was almost always with the boys. They continued to stroll down the main drag, never distracted by the lights or constant noise.   
  
"But things are different now." How could he explain? Where were the words he needed? This, however, made plenty of sense.   
  
Nodding, she replied, "You're not the smallest anymore--not since Star and Laddie came." Marko looked up into her emerald eyes and didn't move anything other than his feet, shuffling in place; she, too, stopped so that she could look at him properly. "You're still my baby, Marko," Iris mused softly and pressed her lips to his forehead. He bent his knees slightly to let her kiss him longer and closed his eyes, letting his lips drop softly open.  
  
It wasn't until that moment that Iris actually realized that he received little attention--less than any of the others--and he was still her responsibility. After he had been there for so long and been so faithful to the entire group, she must have just assumed he could take care of himself and left him to his own company. Then came the others, and her attention was completely diverted from him.  
  
They could hear Paul's good-natured shouting at a distance, but decided to disregard his words. Completely forgetting David and the others, Marko led Iris gently by the hand to a dark abandoned corner of the boardwalk. There was that smile again, those teeth. So innocent, he had been...  
  
"You're all right?" His voice was a little worried. Such a sweet little killer.  
  
"Fine," she replied dazedly, not realizing she had drifted off in her own thoughts. "How are you?" Her face was worried, almost pitying the both of them for neglecting or being neglected. "You're a man now, eh?" She raised a sloping eyebrow, gave the ring in his left ear a playful tug, and ran a finger through the curls of his hair before folding her hands again. He chuckled and rubbed them between his own.   
  
"If you want to say that," he shrugged. "I'm doing better here than I probably would anywhere else, all thanks to you."  
  
"Are you? I didn't ruin you, did I?"   
  
"Not at all, love--." He caught his words before he could say any more. Marko felt like he was all of a sudden intruding on something, stomping all over something David had built. Fear and embarrassment crossed his face; he dropped her hands and took a step back, trying to distance himself from a possibly bad situation. All he expected was for David to walk up and slam him against a wall at that perfect moment, pissed as hell that Marko had touched his Iris. "I'm sorry." Speaking at all was suddenly a travesty.   
  
"Marko?" Now she was confused. It was strangely flattering that he would use such an endearing term, but unexpected nonetheless. She stepped forward and reached for the hand at his side to comfort him, but he pulled back, running it through his hair as his eyes glazed over and turned downward. "Don't be," she cooed and trailed her fingertips down his cheek to his jaw. His hand caught hers at the wrist and gently pressed it into his skin. His eyelids drooped as he listened deeply for a pulse he knew would not be there. He seemed so entranced; she couldn't remember him being this beautiful for a long while. Where had she been all this time?   
  
He stepped to her, dropping his face to her shoulder and wrapping an arm around her waist. She held him close, letting her arm slide around his neck and gripping the fabric of his shoulder lovingly. The sigh he released against her neck sent shivers through her spine, making her squeeze him a bit tighter.   
  
"Let's go," she offered quietly into his ear.   
  
"Where?" He lifted his head slowly and stayed close, almost close enough to kiss her, although he dared not try that at just that moment.  
  
"I'm still thirsty, my dear. Why don't just you and I go out for once?" She wanted him to smile, she needed him to.  
  
"Without them?" He seemed unsure. Iris would never give up such a gentle soul. It was adorable--almost admirable--that he would be so careful to want to ask permission, even for such a thing. David wouldn't mind, Iris knew, but Marko was afraid to try anything that would test his wrath.   
  
"They'll be fine," she purred. "Please?" He squinted at her as a small curl of his lips surfaced.  
  
"My lady," he drawled as he offered his arm to her, intending to escort her away from the boardwalk. She took his arm with a pleased adjustment of her shawl and took the few steps onto the main boardwalk with him at her side.   
  
He removed her grasp on the crook of his elbow so that he held her shoulders tenderly beneath his arm, and she followed suit slipping her arm around his waist under his coat. Marko pursed his lips against her temple lovingly as they wandered away from the noise and bright lights; he smiled to himself, anxious for what else the night may hold for them.  
  
~FIN~ 


End file.
